Acupressure Points. The
junctures of energy pathways in the body. Holding acupressure points
for more than a minute or so causes the body to release neurochemicals
called endorphins. The release of endorphins can create a euphoric
"natural high" and encourage relaxation as well as magnetism and
intimacy.
Amrita. "Divine Nectar."
Sanskrit term for female ejaculate. This fluid is different from urine
and similar to the prostatic fluid of men. In Tantra Amrita is
considered to be a powerfully healing substance.
Ananda. Divine bliss; joy; spiritual ecstasy.
Asana. Yoga posture. Used to positively influence the energies of body and mind.
A-U-M. The three sounds which compose the root mantra, om. The sound-values of om and their symbolic interpretation are described in the Upanishads: ""A" as the waking consciousness, "U" as the dream-consciousness and "M" as the consciousness during deep sleep. Om as a whole represents the all-encompassing cosmic consciousness."
Aura. The subtle field of energy generated by the various life energies in the body.
Ayurveda. "Science
of life." Ayurveda is the traditional system of medicine of India,
which dates back thousands of years. The Sanskrit root ayu means "life," and veda means "pure knowledge."
Bandhas. Internal
muscular exercises designed to strengthen the PC muscles and to direct
and intensify sexual energy. Bandha exercises can greatly increase
sexual pleasure and aid in ejaculatory control.
Bija Mantra. A Tantric technique for awakening, purifying, and activating the chakras. Bija means "seed," and the bijas used in this mantra are the core sounds that pertain to the seven chakras.
Bodhisattva. "One whose essence is enlightenment." Bodhi is the Sanskrit word for "enlightenment" and sattva means "essence." A divine being who remains on the human plane to help others.
Brahma. "The
Creator." In Hindu mythology, Brahma is the senior member of the triad
of the great Gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. In Tantric cosmology,
Brahma is the creator of the world and is the embodiment of all
creativity.
Chakras. Centers of consciousness and psychic energy in the body. The word chakra
means "wheel" in Sanskrit. There are many chakras in the body,
including seven main chakras situated along the central channel of the
body, along the spine.
Chi (Qi). Chi
is the Chinese word for the flows of subtle energy in the body that
move along pathways called meridians. A clear flow of energy through
the meridians is the key to radiant health, eroticism, and intimacy.
Chi Kung (or Qi-Gong). Literally
means "breath work." It is a system of movement, meditation, and
breathing that can unblock, align, and purify the body"s energy so that
the entire being - body, mind, and spirit - can function more
harmoniously.
C.T.E. Certified Tantra
Educator. The C.T.E. title is "an indication that this educator has
been certified by Charles and Caroline Muir and the Source School of
Tantra® as having the necessary skills to provide quality, professional
Tantric instruction to individuals and groups. This unique, trademarked
certification process, verifies that students have completed several
months of direct instruction over several years in advanced Tantric
practices, principles, practical applications, and professional
teaching techniques."
Dakini. "Skydancer." The embodiment of cosmic feminine energy, enlightened wisdom. A female Tantrika or Yogini.
Devi. "Shining one." Refers to the feminine principle or the Goddess.
Dhyana. Sanskrit word for meditation.
Durga. "She
who is difficult to go against." Durga represents the triumphant aspect
of Shakti, the cosmic energy of destruction, particularly the removal
of the ego which stands in the way of spiritual growth and ultimate
liberation. The Goddess Durga evokes strength, health, and purity.
Feng Shui. Feng Shui is
the ancient Chinese science of arranging objects and surroundings in
the best possible way to balance sacred energy and attract toward us
all the benevolent forces of the cosmos.
Ganesha. The
elephant-headed God, son of Parvati and Shiva. Ganesha is the remover
of all obstacles - physical, emotional, and psychic. He is invoked at
the start of any new undertaking.
G spot. Rippled
tissue located just behind the front wall of the vagina (towards the
belly), about two inches inside. The G spot is short for Grafenberg or,
in Tantric circles, for Goddess. Stroking this area can greatly deepen
a woman's sexual response.
Hatha Yoga. Hatha means "force" and represents the union of two words - ha, "sun," and tha,
"moon." Hatha yoga is the ancient Indian system of physical postures
and breathing exercises that balances the opposing masculine and
feminine forces in the body, the "sun" and the "moon."
Ida. One of the three principal channels of the subtle body. It is the (female, lunar) nadi going about the central sushumna nadi, terminating in the left nostril. Opposite in polarity from the pinga.
Kali. "Dark one." The aspect of Divine Mother that fights evil and destroys the ego.
Kali Yuga. "Age
of Darkness." The era of "spiritual decline" that is still in progress
today. Described in Vedic scripture as a period "when society reaches a
stage where property confers rank, wealth becomes the only source of
virtue. . . falsehood the source of success in life. . . and when outer
trappings are confused with inner religion." Tantra is a set of
teachings intended for this particular age.
Kama Sutra. The
classical Indian treatise on the Art of Love. It is the earliest of the
surviving Hindu love manuals, written around the second century A.D. by
a sage called Vatsyayana. Other later texts, such as the Ananga Ranga and Koka Shastra, drew their inspiration from the Kama Sutra.
Karma. "The law of cause and effect." The accumulated effect of past deeds and actions.
Krishna. One of the many incarnations of Vishnu whose teaching is featured in the Bhagava Gita.
Often depicted playing his flute, he embodies divine joy, love,
playfulness, and male eroticism. Krishna's death inaugurated the Kali Yuga, which is still in full swing today.
Kundalini. "She
who is coiled." Refers to the powerful creative sexual energy coiled
like a sleeping serpent near the base of the spine. One of the goals in
Tantra is to gently awaken this dormant energy in order to awaken
consciousness and attain enlightenment.
Kwan Yin (Quan Yin). The Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion. Kwan means "to perceive" and yin
means "the sound of the world": "She who hears the suffering of the
world." The energy of Kwan Yin is gentle and peaceful. She was known as
a great healer and the female energy counterpart of Buddha.
Lakshmi. "Good Fortune." The Goddess of abundance, wealth, and beauty. The female counterpart of the god Vishnu.
Laya Yoga. The
path of meditation and subtle energy work. A form of yoga intended to
awaken and channel kundalini energy (also known as Kundalini Yoga).
Laya Yoga can be understood as the higher, meditative phase of Hatha
Yoga. Laya Yoga and Hatha Yoga together are subsumed under Tantra Yoga.
Lingam. Sanskrit for the male sexual organ meaning "wand of light." The symbol of Shiva.
Lotus Flower. In
Tantric art, the lotus is a symbol of purity, self-transcendence, and
expanding consciousness. Because of its smooth and oily surface the
lotus is not sullied by the mud and water in which it grows. It is also
a Tantric term for the Yoni.
Maithuna. Sanskrit
word for sexual union. The ceremonial union of Shiva with Shakti. A
Tantric rite aimed at raising the kundalini through physical love.
Mandala. "Mystic circle." A mandala is considered sacred geometry and is used as a tool for Tantric meditation.
Mantra.
An audible and sacredly empowered pattern of rhythm and words. A mantra
is a spiritual formula, a combination of sacred syllables transmitted
from age to age in a religious tradition that forms a nucleus of
spiritual power. Om Shakti, for example, is a popular Hindu mantra and means "praise energy."
Metta. In
Buddhism, the Pali word for "lovingkindness." The practice of metta was
first taught by the Buddha himself two thousand five hundred years ago
as a supremely rich and powerful way of cultivating a generous heart.
"Without a generous heart," the Buddha said, "there can be no true
spiritual life."
Mudra. Potent hand positions or finger-postures that profoundly influence and focus the body's energy.
Nadi. "River." Invisible channels of psychic energy, woven throughout the subtle body. Conduits of prana.
Yogic texts state there are 72,000 of them. Together with the chakras,
the nadis constitute the composition of the subtle body in Tantra.
Namaste. The
traditional Indian form of salutation, a respectful greeting
recognizing the equality of all and the sacredness of all. "The
God/Goddess in me greets the God/Goddess in you." The gesture (mudra) of namaste is made by bringing together both palms of the hands before the heart.
Nataraj. Nataraj
is the dancing form of Lord Shiva. This famous icon of Hinduism depicts
Shiva in his "unending dance of destruction/creation," while trampling
down "the demon of ego that hinders our progress to enlightenment."
Nyasa. "Placing." A ritual form of touch to awaken the chakras and the energy conduits of the body.
OM. Seed
mantra composed of three sounds, a-u-m, embracing within it the "sound"
of our own inmost divine consciousness, the "sound" of all of creation,
and the "sound" of the Supreme Being creating reality.
Parvati. "The one born of the mountain (Himalaya)." Consort of Shiva. Parvati represents not only physical but spiritual beauty.
PC muscles. Pubococcygeus
(PC) muscles. Both women and men have PC muscles, which run from the
pubic bone to the tailbone in a figure eight around the genitals. They
play a vital role in both male and female sexual response. Strong PC
muscles help to increase blood flow in the pelvic region, heighten
sexual sensation, intensify orgasm, and help women to achieve orgasm
and ejaculation.
Pingala. One of the three principal channels of the subtle body. It is the (male, solar) nadi opposite the ida nadi. It spirals around the central sushumna channel and terminates in the right nostril. It has a positive polarity.
Prana. The body's vital energy or life force; air; breath.
Pranayama. Prana means "life force" and yama comes from ayama or "expansion." Pranayama serves to instill meditative peace and to foster calm, alertness, and concentration.
Puja. Worship
or celebration. There are different kinds of pujas that include many
forms of ceremonial worship. In modern Tantric practice, there are
community or group pujas, a transformational ritual gathering which
awakens and brings forth the priest/priestess, the shaman, and the
god-essence in each of us. It is an opportunity for the renewal of
body, mind, and spirit.
Raja Yoga. "Royal
yoga." Emphasizes the mental and spiritual rather than physical. Its
aim is to make one a "ruler" over all one's mental and spiritual
equipment, the general aim of all Tantric schools.
Red Tantra. The aspect of Tantra that relates to the mastery of sexual skills.
Sacred Space. A
sacred space is a place of tranquility created through intention,
respect and focus. It is about cultivating an environment that is
filled with energies that support, uplift, comfort, and transform our
inner and outer awareness and benefits our highest good.
Sacred Spot. An
energetic pole for sexual fulfillment. In a woman it is the energetic
access to the second chakra located on or around the G spot in the
Yoni. In a man it is located at the root of the second chakra located
within the upper wall of the base chakra.
Sacred Spot Massage. An internal Yoni massage intended to heal past wounds and awaken and release unlimited orgasmic energy.
Saraswati. "She
who flows." The Goddess of arts and learning and patroness of the
"Sixty-four Arts." Saraswati is the feminine energy counterpart of
Brahma. She is typically portrayed holding a lute (vina).
Shakti. Shakti means power, force, and feminine energy. The word shakti is derived from the Sanskrit root shak,
meaning "potency" or "the potential to produce." She represents "the
fundamental creative instinct underlying the cosmos, and is the
energizing force of all divinity, of every being, and every thing." The
Goddess Shakti is the feminine counterpart to each of the Gods of the
Hindu pantheon, especially of Shiva.
Shiva. The
male divine symbol of the transcendental. Shiva stands for growth and
transformation. In Tantra, Shiva represents pure consciousness
manifesting in the creative union with his consort Shakti.
Shiva and Shakti. These two divine lovers are commonly portrayed in ecstatic embrace - yab-yum. Together they symbolize cosmic union between male and female, yin and yang. This condition of Unity or Oneness is another of Tantra's ultimate goals.
The Sixty-Four Arts. In
ancient Tantra, the series of arts and sciences that the dedicated
Tantrika aspired to master. The art of sexual love was the noblest of
the sixty-four arts and relied on the other arts for its support.
Included in this list are musicianship, culinary arts, dancing, flower
arranging, swordsmanship, among others.
Subtle Body. A field of force, with energy vortexes at the psychic centers (chakras).
Sushumna. The
principal nadi of the subtle body located in the spinal column. This
psychic channel controls spiritual evolution and is the "highway" that
connects this world with the next.
Tai Chi. A
spiritual and physical discipline, developed in China over millennia to
bring balance to the body and flowing peace to the mind.
Tantra. A
spiritual path, originating in India, that embraces sexual energy as a
way of achieving conscious awakening and enlightenment.
Tantrika. A practitioner of Tantra.
Tara. One
of the most popular of the Buddhist Goddesses who is adored for her
protection from evil and her support in overcoming obstacles. Her name
is derived from the verb tara, meaning "to cross," for she
enables the devotee to "cross the ocean of existence." Tara is the
symbol of tranquility and cosmic peace.
Vajra. A Tibetan term for the male sexual organ meaning "thunderbolt" or "scepter of power."
Vedic. Ancient Indian/Hindu philosophy and science with a holistic approach. The Vedic period is dated c. 2500-500 b.c.e. The Vedas are considered to be the oldest extant scriptures in the world.
Vishnu. "The Preserver." The aspect of Brahma known as the protector of all humanity.
White Tantra. White Tantra relates to the yogic or spiritual aspects of Tantric practice and consists of exercises or postures (asanas) combined with special breathing (pranayama), hand or finger gestures (mudras), internal muscular exercises (bhandas), chanting (mantra), and meditation. The skills and benefits of White Tantra practices increase ones ability to master Red (sexual) Tantra.
Yab-Yum. Seated astride position. An asana in which a woman sits astride facing herpartner, heart-to-heart. TheTantric image of yab-yum represents
the male principle uniting in perfect balance with the female
principle, creating an image expressing the sacredness of sexuality as
a spiritual path to enlightenment.
Yantra. A geometric diagram, usually of interlocking triangles and circles, used as a focus for healing meditation. The Sanskrit word yantra derives from the root yam
meaning "to sustain," or "hold." In metaphysical terms a yantra is
visualized as a "receptacle" of the highest spiritual essence.
Artist: Nadean O’Brien
Yellow Emperor. Known
as Huang-Ti (2697-2598 b.c.e.), he figures prominently in the medical
and sexological teaching of Taoism. The oldest books on love known as
the Chinese "Handbooks of Sex" were written by this legendary emperor
some 5000 years ago. He is said to have ascended to heaven, "having
perfected himself through practicing the Sexual Secrets."
Yin and Yang. Yin
and Yang are complementary and interdependent aspects of a single
unifying force. The Yin force is seen as cool, lunar, passive,
receptive, feminine, and internal. The Yang force is warm, solar,
active, productive, masculine, and external. Each is relative to the
other and both contain a small amount of the other. These opposite
forces interact in order to create balance. This is seen in the
yin/yang symbol, illustrating the light within the dark and the dark
within the light.
Yoga. Yoga is a term for spiritual discipline and derives from the Sanskrit yuj,
which means, among other things, to "yoke," "to join together," "union
and communion." Yoga is a holistic way of relating to the body that
involves an increasing awareness on all levels: the physical, the
mental, and the spiritual. The basic philosophy of yoga acknowledges
the presence of divine energy in all people, all place, and all things.
Yoni. The female sexual organ and
representation of the Goddess. It is a Vedic term meaning "the source
of all life." It is loosely translated as "sacred space" or "sacred
temple." In Tantra the Yoni is seen from a perspective of love and
respect, offering an alternative for many of the less honoring Western
terms.
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